Janet Reeves

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From the Editor:

As part of our mission to present exciting, innovative, and creative works of art in varied form, we offer a new series: Spotlight...

This online series will be published on special occasions when we find an artist whose work is especially captivat-ing and fresh. It allows us an opportunity to comprehen-sively survey the catalogue of an artist, focusing more in-timately upon his or her work, life, and unique perspec-tive. Even more, the Spotlight series affords us the ability to present works in a variety of media that may not oth-erwise fit in our quarterly poetry journal.

In this first Spotlight, we take a detailed look at Janet Reeves, an illustrative artist working on digital canvas. We sat down with her for a conversation over coffee here in Austin, Texas and discussed her work. In the following pages, you will see not only selections of her artwork, but her words as we captured them that afternoon in a ca-sual conversational setting.

We trust that you not only will enjoy the caliber of art that Janet displays, but that you’ll get a more intimate sense of her personality and perspective on art. There is no doubt that she is a tremendously talented graph-ic design artist and illustrator who offers inspiring images and imaginative designs. And, we are honored to shine our Spotlight on Janet Reeves.

Matthew payne Editor

“I really like a sketchy feel. Sometimes if I finish a painting and it looks too clean, I will go back and mark it up or scrape into it.”

“I try to move things to a place that is uncomfortable and asymetrical. These are things I might never try if I was try-ing to do things correctly.”

“I usually have an idea that I want to get across, but often that idea will change as I work. I try to let my subconscious do its thing.”

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You learn tricks along the way to solve dif-ferent problems. As you work more, you get a bigger bag of tricks.

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“It’s all about looking at a piece and saying, “What’s the problem?” then, learning how to solve the problem.

I work by building up a piece, taking it back down, and building it up again. So the art kind of forms on its own. I try not to have any preconceived notions about where it is going. I like to let it mold itself.

i try to push my composition toward stuff that i normally don’t do, that i was taught not to do. i just keep playing with it until i feel that it is right.

MORE WORDS FROM THE AUTHOR

“This image is based upon The Masque of the Red Death, when the musicians stop on the hour to look at the eerie clock.“

“When I was little, I was really into writing. Edgar Allen Poe’s poetry really helped me to open up. He was kind of my muse.”

“In this piece, I wanted to evoke that feeling of going to the doctor. They ask you all these really personal questions but they do it in an impersonal way.”

i usually have an idea that i want to get across, but often that idea will change as i work.“”it’

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g. Music and art therapy are things i’ve al-

ways been interested in. they have such an affect upon the body and the mind. it’s therapeutic. it’s a way to help people.

i think art is a dialogue. i no-tice aspects of other people’s artwork i like and i continue it in my own artwork and in my own ways. i’m kind of tak-ing off where they left off, and pushing it forward a little bit.

I respond to aspects of other people’s artwork I like. I’m kind of taking off where they left off, and pushing it forward a little bit.

MORE WORDS FROM THE AUTHOR

“I’m really interested in stencil stuff like graffiti artwork. I kind of did these objects like they were done in print-making.”

“I do a lot of work with texture, organic stuff with lines. Having the bold geomet-ric shapes contrasts the organic side.”

“There’s a desire to grow with my art and expand. But, It’s definitely terrifying jump-ing from something you’re familiar with.”

“ ”Just be open to having a dialogue with art. have a conversation with it.

janet-reeves.com